Legal Counsel EMEA

at  Synthomer

Synthomer is an innovative and differentiated global leader in sustainable polymer solutions. The Group is one of the world’s foremost suppliers of water-based polymers and has leadership positions in many markets. Our polymers help customers create innovative new products and enhance the performance of existing products in key industries such as coatings, construction, adhesives, textiles, paper, and nitrile medical gloves.
With the acquisition of Eastman Adhesive Resins in 2022 and Omnova Solutions in 2020, Synthomer grew its global manufacturing network, expanded its product portfolio, and boosted its geographical presence, allowing it to better serve over 6000 customers around the world. Synthomer has its operational headquarters in London, UK, and provides customer-focused services from regional centres in Harlow, UK; Marl, Germany; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Beachwood, Ohio, USA. It employs more than 5000 employees across over 40 sites and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Purpose of the Job:
To facilitate the expansion of the Group’s operations within the EMEA region while safeguarding its interests. To deliver exemplary legal support to the business as a collaborative member of the Group Legal team.

Main responsibilities:

• Conducting reviews of contracts, drafting, and negotiating new agreements (from both sales and procurement perspectives), and advising the Group on various contractual matters, including competition law, confidentiality, intellectual property, product liability, contract disputes, data protection, employment, and general liability issues.
• Providing guidance on commercial arrangements such as toll/contract manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, as well as agency and distribution matters.
• Interpreting legal obligations and offering general, ad hoc legal counsel to the Group regarding daily trading activities.
• Advising on confidentiality and intellectual property issues when engaging with third parties in diverse contexts (including research and development) and, in a comprehensive manner, throughout the collaboration process (including drafting and negotiating non-disclosure agreements, collaboration agreements, and IP licenses) in conjunction with the IP team.
• Assisting with all aspects of corporate governance best practices and regulatory compliance, supporting various functions within the Group, including Finance, HR, Operations, and Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE).
• Supporting initiatives, projects, and compliance training within Group Legal & Compliance concerning code of conduct issues, including bribery and corruption, data privacy, and competition law.
• Aiding in the maintenance and management of the Group’s insurance program.
• Providing ad hoc support and coordinating company secretarial matters related to UK and other European entities as required.
• Offering legal and transactional assistance for any disposals, internal reorganisations, restructuring, expansion, and refinancing activities/projects in the EMEA region.

Minimum Requirements:

• A qualified lawyer holding either a UK legal qualification or a qualification from an EU jurisdiction.
• A minimum of 2 years of post-qualification experience (PQE) gained in a prominent or mid-sized law firm, or within a well-established in-house legal team, with a focus on corporate and commercial law, ideally within a relevant sector or industry that involves procurement and supply chain matters.
• Demonstrates strong professional ethics and integrity.
• Exhibits a proactive attitude, motivation, adaptability, resilience, meticulous attention to detail, and a solution-oriented mindset.
• Possesses a keen interest in a diverse array of legal issues within a fast-paced, high-activity setting, with a readiness to engage actively and learn on the job, while maintaining the ability to perform effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Multilingual capabilities or experience in international or cross-border legal matters would be advantageous.

Location and Travel requirements:
The position is located at the company’s Head Office in Pall Mall, London, with a minimum requirement of three days per week on site in line with our hybrid working.
Occasional international travel will be necessary in accordance with project needs and company obligations.

In addition, we offer a highly desirable benefits package:

• Private health insurance.
• Company bonus scheme.
• Contributory pension.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Life insurance.
• Support counselling.
• Company social events throughout the year.

Why Synthomer?
We are ambitious!
We have grown significantly – both organically and inorganically. We are a FTSE 250 listed company, 22% of our revenue comes from newly commercialized products, and we’re recognized in the top-quartile for chemicals manufacturing safety.
We believe in high challenge, high support!
We are keen to let you contribute in real roles from day 1. We expect a lot, but offer a lot, too. This includes onboarding, induction and learning events, networking opportunities, mentoring and personal development planning. So, be up for an inspiring long-term career adventure.
We personalize our approach to development!
At Synthomer, you won’t find generic career tracks or development programs but rather a one-size-fits-one approach to employee development. We’ll partner with you to ensure you have the right experiences that build your capabilities and accelerate your career growth.

• Conducting reviews of contracts, drafting, and negotiating new agreements (from both sales and procurement perspectives), and advising the Group on various contractual matters, including competition law, confidentiality, intellectual property, product liability, contract disputes, data protection, employment, and general liability issues.
• Providing guidance on commercial arrangements such as toll/contract manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, as well as agency and distribution matters.
• Interpreting legal obligations and offering general, ad hoc legal counsel to the Group regarding daily trading activities.
• Advising on confidentiality and intellectual property issues when engaging with third parties in diverse contexts (including research and development) and, in a comprehensive manner, throughout the collaboration process (including drafting and negotiating non-disclosure agreements, collaboration agreements, and IP licenses) in conjunction with the IP team.
• Assisting with all aspects of corporate governance best practices and regulatory compliance, supporting various functions within the Group, including Finance, HR, Operations, and Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE).
• Supporting initiatives, projects, and compliance training within Group Legal & Compliance concerning code of conduct issues, including bribery and corruption, data privacy, and competition law.
• Aiding in the maintenance and management of the Group’s insurance program.
• Providing ad hoc support and coordinating company secretarial matters related to UK and other European entities as required.
• Offering legal and transactional assistance for any disposals, internal reorganisations, restructuring, expansion, and refinancing activities/projects in the EMEA region